


You... What Else?

by arimi_skywalker



Category: Arashi (Band), Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: Drama & Romance, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Tabloids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-13
Updated: 2016-12-13
Packaged: 2018-09-08 10:47:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8841619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arimi_skywalker/pseuds/arimi_skywalker
Summary: Aiba Masaki is a cheerful guy living a quiet life who often visits a grocery store specializing in imported products. However, he's not the only one who likes to visit that place...





	

**Author's Note:**

> **Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
>  Disclaimer: fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
> A/N: Thanks to [](http://silverdoll14.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://silverdoll14.livejournal.com/)**silverdoll14** for checking and correcting this text for me. I suck at expressing myself in english ^^;;
> 
> _If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_
> 
> Inspired by [this commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPsm2r7uCi4).

I ran to the door and put my shoes on.  
  
I was only going to buy a couple of things my mom had requested for the restaurant and take the chance to stop by the book shop to buy some _manga_ , but any excuse would do as long as I could go out. It seemed like the cold winter finally gave us a break and allowed the sun to shyly appear among the clouds.  
  
"Masaki, dear," said my mom, showing up in the corridor, "could you also buy some _gai lan_ and _bok choy_?"  
  
"Isn't there any _bok choy_ in the storeroom? I thought I bought some yesterday."  
  
"We already used it all."  
  
"Okay. I'll buy more, then."  
  
My mom nodded.  
  
"Don't get distracted on your way. There's a lot of work today."  
  
"Don't worry. I'll be back very soon"  
  
I was already on my thirties but my mom still liked to treat me like a child. I guess living under the same roof as her didn't help her to see me as an adult, but I wasn't planning on moving out anytime soon. I liked living in Chiba with my parents and helping them in the family restaurant, as the oldest son I was. My work was limited to wait on tables but sometimes, when I had some time to myself in between orders, I loved to stop by the kitchen and watch my dad cooking. I used to think that someday I'd be like him.  
  
That morning, when I left the house, the rays of sunlight warmed my bones.  
  
As I waited for the next train to arrive, I sat down on one of the benches out of the station, looked up to the sky, and closed my eyes, enjoying the sunlight. The warm feeling on my skin, after the long winter months, was so nice. We were just at the end of March, most likely we'd still get some cold days, but I preferred not to think about it and enjoy the beautiful day that greeted me.  
  
Almost an hour later, when I reached Ikebukuro station, I hurried up to find the East exit and walked down the street. The sooner I bought everything my mom asked for, the sooner I would be free to run to Shinjuku and get lost among the shelves full of _manga_ in Kinokuniya. I hadn't visited the bookstore in around two months, so I was positive that at least two of my series had been update.  
  
"Good morning, Aiba-kun!"  
  
Toda-san, the owner of my usual grocery store specializing in imported products, bowed his head as he welcomed me with a smile.  
  
"Good morning, Toda-san," I greeted him, smiling back.  
  
"I ran out of five-spice powder today. It should be restocked by this afternoon."  
  
"Don't worry; I came for other things today. Do you have _bok choy_?"  
  
"Freshly brought up this morning."  
  
"Nice! I think my father has one of his spicy beef with shrimp and _bok choy_ cravings." I chuckled as I pointed to the back of the store. "I'll go get the stuff. See you in a moment"  
  
"Sure! Feel at home"  
  
I nodded and walked inside the store, getting lost among the aisles.  
  
The place wasn't that big, but the vegetables aisle was at the bottom of the store, hidden among the rice, tea and spices aisle. I seized everything my mom had requested and placed it inside a basket before walking to the noodles area to get a few packs of rice noodles, which were always handy in the restaurant, and was surprised to find someone else standing there. I was so used to be almost the only customer in the store that I had been too loud when talking to Toda-san at the entrance, so I felt embarrassed to see we were not alone that morning.  
  
A guy, who was a little shorter than me, had almost perfect features, dark eyes, and wore fashionable clothes, was carefully watching me. It wasn't the first time I saw him around there. He always wore expensive clothes, and used a cap together with a mask he took off the moment he entered the store. That morning, I realized he also had a pair of sunglasses hanging on the neck of his shirt, which reminded me of the beautiful day shining outside.  
  
He raised an eyebrow and followed my gaze to his shirt. When he realized it was his sunglasses that caught my attention, he smiled to himself and looked up. I looked away feeling even more embarrassed than before, and blushed as I started searching among the different packs of noodles.  
  
"Dolce  & Gabanna," he said.  
  
"Eh?" I looked at him, confused and surprised, wondering if he was talking to me.  
  
"My sunglasses. They're by Dolce & Gabanna"  
  
"Ah," I chuckled nervously. "They're cool"  
  
"They are part of this summer's collection, which isn't available yet."  
  
"They'll be just right today. It seems like the sun decided to finally come out"  
  
He looked bewildered at my reply, but cleared his throat right away, and nodded. I quickly took ten big packs of rice noodles and looked back at him.  
  
"Well, this is all I need. I'm leaving now," I bowed. " _Ja ne_ ~"  
  
He didn't say anything and just watched as I walked away.  
  
Every time I bumped into that guy at the small store, he followed me with his gaze. Sometimes he simply watched me. At times he raised an eyebrow. Occasionally, he shook his head as if he found me hopeless. I always wondered what he found so interesting in me, but I never dared to ask him because his appearance kind of awed me. He was as handsome as those models in the magazines, and his eyes seemed to read inside of me.  
  
He had never talked to me until that morning, and I felt the urgent need to leave the place as soon as possible. I was embarrassed of talking to him because I was afraid of saying some of my nonsense comments and ending up looking like a real idiot. He was the only person who made me feel like that in my life, even when we always bumped into each other on the same place. Probably we had many things to talk about by then. Still I have to admit that I never found someone like him before. I don't know if it was his elegance, his almost flawless face o his dark eyes, but something in him made me think he was in a different league.  
  
I quickly paid for my things, said goodbye to Toda-san, and walked towards the station.  
  
When I reached Shinjuku, I went to my favorite the bookstore, where I first visited the magazine section to buy the last issue of the cooking magazine my mom used to read. There, I ran into two young girls who were flipping through a gossip magazine as they pointed out and talked about the content. I frowned, paid for my mom's magazine and left the section right away. I never understood why everybody, especially women and young people, felt attracted by famous people's lives. I understood they could like their acting, singing, or even their appearance, but I couldn't understand why they were curious about their private lives.  
  
I sighed. Feeling kind of annoyed and saddened, and went downstairs to the _manga_ section, hoping it would liven up my mood. As I guessed, many of my series had been updated. Fortunately I'd taken enough money with me, so I placed all the volumes inside a basket and spent the rest of my time checking out new series. One of the series I collected was about to end and I wanted to think about the next one I would buy.  
  
After finishing in the bookstore, I walked to the station and rode the train back to my home, in Chiba, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, people rushing around, crowded crosswalks and train station constantly flooded by people. Chiba was a quiet place that made me feel good. Nobody cared about other people's business there. People lived and let live. I'd never trade the life I had there for living in a place like Tokyo. I wanted to live in Chiba forever with my family.  
  
Away from all the noise and prying eyes.  
  


 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
  
"Okay! Enough for today! Good job!"  
  
I took my jacket off as one of the staff brought me a wet towel to help me cool off. I'd been under the lights for more than two hours, posing for the new issue of a trending magazine I often worked for, and I still had to do a photo shoot for the promotion of my new movie.  
  
" _Otsukaresama_ ," I said to the staff.  
  
The photographer approached me, still holding his camera, showing a pleasing smile.  
  
" _Otsukaresama_ , Jun."  
  
" _Otsukaresama_ , Sanada-san," I replied, bowing.  
  
"You were flawless today, as usual."  
  
"I'm looking forward to seeing the result."  
  
"The magazine will be out in two weeks. Can you be here on Friday to choose the photos?"  
  
"I'll try to."  
  
"Okay, call me."  
  
"Count on it."  
  
He nodded and walked away with his camera.  
  
I went to my dressing room, where I sat down and drank some water. I still had almost four hours before the next photo shoot and didn't feel like doing much. Sometimes when I had a couple of hours in between shoots, I used to have lunch in my favorite restaurant while I reviewed some screenplay, but I was exhausted that day. The morning shoot lasted longer than expected, and I only felt like relaxing, so I decided to visit that grocery store on East Ikebukuro and see what I could find. I felt like cooking and enjoying my own food at home without any noise or prying looks bothering me.  
  
I changed my clothes, put on my cap, and a mask that covered almost my whole face, and walked towards the parking lot to get my car. When I reached the store and walked inside, Toda-san wasn't behind the counter. However, a familiar smile greeted me; a guy with bright, round eyes that I bumped into very often at the store, but who never paid any attention to me. I slightly bowed my head and walked to the spices aisle. From there, I still could see him, patiently waiting at the counter.  
  
Both of us visited that place quite often. I used to buy stuff for my European style dishes, while he always carried around a basket full of Chinese products. I wondered what he wanted so much food for, and at the same time, I was surprised he didn't seem to recognize me, as much as we bumped into each other. I wasn't the most famous person in the country; I was a young actor and did some jobs as a model here and there, but my face was constantly on magazines and TV shows. It was impossible that someone as young as him didn't recognize me. I'll admit that sometimes I wished no one recognized me, so that I could go out without covering my face, but that guy was kind of starting to annoy me. I didn't know if he was ignoring me on purpose, or if he really didn't know who I was. So one day, two weeks earlier, I decided to go ahead and talk to him.  
  
He was absent-mindedly walking to the noodles aisle, where I was checking out some Italian pasta for dinner that night, and stopped in his tracks when he noticed I was there. He stared at me for a few seconds and smiled. I raised an eyebrow, wondering if he finally recognized me after so many times, but it turned out that it was my sunglasses that caught his attention. I couldn't help but to smile at myself, thinking he really was a different person, and he seemed to get embarrassed. When I told him the sunglasses were part of Dolce & Gabanna's summer's collection, which wasn't available yet, he didn't seem to care. I expected him to be surprised and ask how it came I owned them, but he didn't even blink. He only said they would be just right that day, since the sun had finally decided to come out, then left in a rush.  
  
Ever since that day, I bumped into him a couple more times, but I didn't have the chance to talk to him because the moment he saw me, he quickly took something from any shelf and left. But now that he was right there, waiting, it was the perfect chance to approach him, so I grabbed a pack of _zha cai_ and walked to the counter offhandedly, pretending to be lost in my thoughts.  
  
"Isn't Toda-san here?" I asked, looking around, searching for the storekeeper.  
  
"He's in the storeroom, getting the five-spice powder I asked him for"  
  
"Ah, well. I wanted to ask him about this," I showed him the pack in my hands.  
  
" _Zha cai_?" he asked, surprised. "Do you like Chinese food?"  
  
"I like trying different things"  
  
"My family owns a Chinese restaurant!" he excitedly exclaimed.  
  
"It looks like I stumbled upon the right person, then. What is this used for?"  
  
"It can be used in many dishes, but I recommend _dan dan mian_ "  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"A dish made with noodles, though it's kind of spicy. Do you like spicy food?"  
  
"I love it. I like risky flavors," I smirked.  
  
"Then, you're going to like it," he smiled innocently. "Anyway, you should ask Toda-san for his advice. If you tell him about your likings, he'll recommend you the perfect dish"  
  
His smile lit up the world.  
  
Probably, he didn't even know, but something in his way of talking and smiling made me feel good. Every time he said something, a warm feeling took over me, soothing me. And I couldn't help smile back.  
  
"Here is your five-spice powder, Aiba-kun," Toda-san's voice interrupted us. "Sorry I made you wait"  
  
"Ah, no problem," said the young man.  
  
He paid for his groceries, said goodbye to Toda-san and looked at me with a smile.  
  
"When I come here, I always feel like a star. Don't you?"  
  
I couldn't help chuckling.  
  
"Well, yeah... more or less... yeah..."  
  
He then bowed his head, wished me a nice day and left the store, but I wasn't willing to let him go once again. That guy stirred my curiosity and attracted me at the same time, so I left the _zha cai_ pack on the counter and walked after him.  
  
"Wait!" I called him out.  
  
He turned around and widened his eyes in surprise when he saw me.  
  
"Me?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah," I said, approaching him. "You said your family runs a Chinese restaurant, right?"  
  
"Oh, yes! We make the best _dim sum_ in Tokyo"  
  
I had to hold a giggle.  
  
He really was adorable.  
  
"Great! Just what I needed because I was thinking about treating some friends to dinner and I didn't know where to take them."  
  
"Really?!" he eagerly looked into his wallet and took a card out of it. "This is our address and phone number. We're in Chiba but the trip is really worth it."  
  
"Awesome"  
  
"I hope to see you soon, then," he said with a warm smile.  
  
I felt like I could never get tired of that smile.  
  
"Probably sooner than you can imagine," I smiled back and motioned to the store. "Now, I'll go get that _zha cai_. I'll tell you about my experience with _dan dan mian_."  
  
"Don't forget to ask Toda-san for the recipe."  
  
"I won't."  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Looking forward to hearing from you," he waved his hand as he spoke. " _Ja ne_ ~"  
  
" _Ja_ ~"  
  
I watched him as he walked away with a foolish smile on my lips, and went back inside the store. I asked Toda-san about _dan dan mian_ , as the restless smile guy had suggested, and bought _zha cai_ and the rest of ingredients needed to make it. I was thinking about cooking something Italian that day, but I ended up in front of a bowl of _dan dan mian_ that smelled like heaven. And I couldn't help thinking about that guy as I ate it.  
  
It was really delicious.  
  
I waited a couple of days in order not to sound too desperate to see him again, and used my friend's birthday as an excuse to call his restaurant. When I reserved the whole place to avoid people recognizing me, I realized I hadn't talked to a stranger in a long time without thinking they were friendly just because I was a famous person. I liked feeling like that again. He brought back the excitement I lost long ago, the eagerness to see someone, know them, and let them know me. Not Matsumoto Jun, the actor and model, but Jun.  
  
Just Jun.  
  


 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
  
I hung up and ran to the kitchen.  
  
"Mom! Good news!” I exclaimed.  
  
My mother, who was chopping vegetables, looked up.  
  
"What's going on, Masaki? Who was on the phone?"  
  
"It was the guy I met at the grocery store. He said he was looking for a restaurant, I gave him our card and he called! He said he wants to reserve the whole restaurant this Friday night."  
  
"The whole restaurant?" my mom stopped chopping.  
  
"Yes, he said it's his close friend's birthday, and they would like to have some privacy. Of course, he said he'll pay the quantity we consider fair."  
  
My mother seemed relieved by my words as she went back to her task.  
  
"I hope you agreed to his request then."  
  
I eagerly nodded.  
  
"Of course I did! He said there will be ten people, and he wants to reserve until closing time."  
  
"What price did you tell him?"  
  
"He didn't ask about it and didn't want me to check it either. He said he doesn't care about the price as long as he can have the place for him as his friends."  
  
"He sounds like he has a lot of money."  
  
"Well, he always wears expensive clothes, but I don't know. We didn't talk that much."  
  
"Well, I guess it's none of our business."  
  
I nodded.  
  
"He also said we can choose the menu," I looked at my mother with a smile. "What do you think about serving dad's specialty?"  
  
"Masaki, you know we don't serve it to our customers."  
  
"I know, but it's his best dish and I have the feeling that if they like our food, they'll come again in the future. Maybe they become our regular customers, mom."  
  
My mom looked thoughtful.  
  
"I'll talk to your father about it but I can't promise anything," she sighed. "You already know how stubborn he is."  
  
"Nice," the smile on my face widened. "I have the feeling that this dinner is going to be something big. Something tells me that if we pay attention to details, something great will come out of it."  
  
My mother chuckled and shook her head.  
  
She was used to my continuous daydreaming, my optimistic character, and my habit of seeing everything under a positive light. But this time I really felt this chance could be great. I didn't know what kind of job the guy who wore Dolce & Gabanna's sunglasses did, but judging by the kind of clothes he usually wore and his natural elegance, it looked like he belonged to an important field. Maybe his friends had a lot of money too, and they could help us to make it better through the month.  
  
The next day, I visited the store in Ikebukuro to buy everything we needed for Friday's dinner. I thought we could serve assorted _dim sum_ as starter since our restaurant was famous in the area thanks to them, and my dad's specialty as the main dish. As my mom foresaw, it wasn't easy to make my dad agree to cook his specialty for strangers but we teamed up and managed to convince him in the end.  
  
During that week, I checked several times if we had the stuff we needed for the dinner and made sure our staff didn't reserve tables for other customers that night. My mother said I should calm down because I was restless, and it was getting her on her nerves, but I couldn't control myself. I felt that night would be special, and maybe it could change our lives if we did things properly.  
  
On Friday night, my hands were shaking and I felt as if my heart was about to jump out of my chest. The guy who wore Dolce  & Gabanna's sunglasses arrived on time, together with other two young men, and I led them to their table. When the rest of guests arrived, I served them a glass of vermouth to whet their appetite.  
  
"Well!" said the guy who wore expensive sunglasses, taking his glass and breathing the scent. "Vermouth? I didn't expect this."  
  
"It's on the house," I smiled.  
  
"I thought this was a Chinese restaurant," said one of his guests.  
  
"Normally, we don't serve this kind of drink," I replied. "But I took the liberty to do it this time, since this is a special occasion."  
  
I bowed and waited for them to try it.  
  
"Mmm... Delicious..." said the sunglasses guy.  
  
"It's light and fresh, easy to drink," said other guest. "Please, don't serve me more or I'll be drunk before starting dinner."  
  
The other guests laughed.  
  
I smiled, feeling satisfied.  
  
"If you'll excuse me," I bowed before leaving to the kitchen.  
  
My mother looked at me the moment I entered the room.  
  
"The vermouth was a huge success," I told her.  
  
She gasped in relief.  
  
"One day you're going to kill me, Masaki. How did you come up with the idea of serving a European drink?"  
  
"I read it whets the appetite, and I want them to be very hungry tonight."  
  
"Okay," she replied. "But don't experiment any further, please."  
  
I smiled and nodded.  
  
"Don't worry"  
  
" _Gyoza_ are ready. You can serve them."  
  
"Great!"  
  
I grabbed four trays, each one of them containing five _gyoza_ , and took them to the dining room, where I placed them on our guests' table.  
  
"Steamed and fried _gyoza_ ," I announced. "Steamed ones have a little more garlic."  
  
"Who made them?" asked the sunglasses guy as he served himself.  
  
"My father. He's our chef."  
  
"Please, let him know they're the best _gyoza_ I've ever tried," he said, resting half of a steamed _gyoza_ on his plate. "They've got a garlic touch but the flavor isn't strong. They're done to perfection."  
  
"Thank you. I'll tell him," I smiled. "I personally like the fried ones better."  
  
"Let me try them."  
  
He finished the remaining on his plate and fetched one of the fried _gyoza_. He bit it and tasted it for a few seconds before looking at me with a smile.  
  
"You were right. These are even better."  
  
My cheeks blushed, as if he was complimenting me.  
  
"I'll let him know," I said.  
  
"Send him my praise. I tried to cook _gyoza_ several times and couldn't get the right flavor."  
  
"You cook _gyoza_?"  
  
"I cook all kind of food," he nodded. "That's why I always visit the store in Ikebukuro. It's the best place to find ingredients from outside Japan."  
  
"Wow! That's so interesting!" I exclaimed.  
  
He chuckled.  
  
"Excuse me," I cleared my throat, realizing I had replied way too excitedly. "I'm clumsy in the kitchen. I'm not good at cooking at all but I would love to learn. My dream is becoming as good as my father."  
  
"You have an ambitious dream, no doubt."  
  
"I know," I smiled shyly. "But impossible is nothing."  
  
He nodded and showed me a pure smile, almost childlike. It was a smile he had never showed before, and I never thought I could see in him. I felt my heart speeding up inside my chest and thought that maybe behind his beautiful features and his apparent self-confidence, he was hiding a more vulnerable person than it seemed at first sight.  
  
"What's your name?" he asked.  
  
"Ah... Aiba Masaki... You can call me Aiba-chan."  
  
"Aiba-chan?" he chuckled. "I'm Matsumoto Jun. Call me Jun."  
  
"It's... a pleasure..."  
  
"Same here."  
  
I knew he was replying out of politeness, but I couldn't help but to blush again. I liked how he said it was a pleasure meeting me, and I like to believe from the bottom of my heart that he said it for real. For once in my life, I wanted to think that a handsome guy, with an innocent smile, could pay attention to someone like me.  
  
"I'll bring the next dish," I said, bowing before leaving.  
  
After arriving at the kitchen, my heart still beat like crazy inside my chest, and I could feel the blush remaining on my cheeks. My mom watched me curiously, kind of surprised.  
  
"What happened, Masaki?" she asked. "You're blushing"  
  
"It's nothing," I said right away. "The guy who made the reservation is very pleased by the _gyoza_ and told me to send his praise to dad. I don't know why I kind of took it as a personal compliment."  
  
My mother smiled softly.  
  
"We're very lucky to have you as our son," she said. "Kids nowadays don't want to be in charge of family businesses anymore. They have further aspirations and don't want to live away from big cities. Sometimes I feel like we're cutting your wings."  
  
"You know it's not like that. If I'm here it's because I want to."  
  
"I know, honey. But I know you kind of feel forced to do it."  
  
"I feel I have a commitment with you as your son. But mom I'm happy as long as you and dad are happy. I really don't need an apartment in Tokyo. I like my quiet life in Chiba together with the people I love the most," I smiled. "Don't worry about me. I'm happy."  
  
I hugged her and she kissed my cheek.  
  
"Okay," she said. "Bring the rest of the starters to the dining room, or they're going to think we forgot about them."  
  
I nodded, grabbed two baskets of _xiao long bao_ and a tray of steaming _nikuman_ that were on the countertop, and took them to the dining room. My father used to color his _nikuman_ pinkish purple to differentiate them from the rest of the restaurants, but he left them white that day. I thought they were cuter when he colored them, but I understood that probably he was trying to portray a serious image to our potential customers.  
  
" _Xiao long bao_ and _nikuman_ ," I said, placing the baskets and the tray on the table.  
  
"I thought _nikuman_ were the Japanese version of _xiao long bao_ ," said one of the guests, observing the food curiously.  
  
"I heard _nikuman_ 's dough is thicker," said other guest.  
  
"I'm sure Aiba-chan can tell us the details," said Jun, looking at me with a smile.  
  
"Er..." I felt the heat rushing up to my cheeks. "Yes... _Nikuman_ are made with leavened dough while _xiao long bao_ 's dough is thinner, and they have soup inside. They are soft; I like to touch them with my finger."  
  
After I said the last sentence, everyone looked at me in surprise, but none of them reacted until Jun chuckled. His friends chuckled with him, and someone repeated what I just said. I lowered my head, feeling kind of embarrassed, and apologized before leaving the room.  
  
When they finished the _dim sum_ , I served my dad's specialty, which was the sensation of the night together with the _gyoza_ , and finally fried ice cream as dessert. They wanted to extend the evening by drinking Chinese liquors, and I think some of them didn't even know their names when they decided to go home. Jun stopped at the counter to pay while the others started leaving the restaurant, and I didn't mind at all he took his time to check the bill.  
  
"I would like to thank you for what you did tonight," he said, placing his wallet back inside his bag.  
  
"There's nothing to thank me for," I replied. "It's my job"  
  
"I know, but my friends can really be tactless, and you replied to all their questions nicely."  
  
"They didn't bother me at all. I think they were showing interest and that makes me glad."  
  
Jun smiled.  
  
"Are you always this optimistic?"  
  
"I like to look on the bright side of things. It makes me happy."  
  
His smile turned naughty.  
  
"Teach me how to be happy then."  
  
"Excuse me?" I blinked.  
  
"I treat you to dinner. Tomorrow."  
  
"Eh? But..."  
  
"No buts allowed. Just say yes."  
  
I watched him carefully.  
  
His gaze was intense and determined. He was serious. It wasn't my imagination playing tricks on me. He was really asking me out. My legs started shaking, and a tickling sensation rose in my stomach. It went all the way up to my face, where it showed up in the shape of a smile and blushing cheeks.  
  
"Yes," I replied, shyly.  
  
The smile on his face widened.  
  
He took out the business card I gave him days earlier and wrote down an address on the back, handing it over to me afterwards. I accepted it with both hands.  
  
"Come to this address at ten o'clock. I'll be waiting for you."  
  
I still couldn't believe it was really happening.  
  
"OK," I nodded. "I'll be there."  
  
"Awesome. See you tomorrow then."  
  
"S-See you tomorrow..."  
  
He winked and turned around to leave the restaurant, though he looked at me for one last time when he reached the door and offered me a mile that made my heart speed up again. After he left, I looked down at the card in my hands and smiled for the umpteenth time that night.  
  
I couldn't believe it.  
  
I had a date with him.  
  


 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
  
Dining at my favorite restaurant had always been a pleasure.  
  
It was a small place, near Harajuku, hidden among all those fashion cafés, where they served Chinese food. There were just five or six tables and a counter inside. I usually went there alone and sat down by the counter, but I sat down in a table that day since I was waiting for someone.  
  
Aiba-chan entered the place at ten o'clock, looking for me with his eyes. I looked at him from my table, and when our eyes met, I motioned him to join me. He had come. It's not that I suddenly didn't trust my seduction ability, but Aiba-chan was a challenge. He didn't know who I was, which meant he saw me as any other person he could meet on the subway or in his restaurant, and that made things more difficult but also more exciting.  
  
"Hello," he said, bowing before sitting down.  
  
"You came," I replied, staring at him.  
  
"Of course I did, Jun," he smiled. "I said I would come."  
  
"For a moment there, I had some doubts."  
  
"Why?" he asked, surprised. "I always stick to my word."  
  
"I didn't mean that," I chuckled at his innocence. "I just happened to think that maybe you gave it a second thought and didn't feel like having dinner with a stranger."  
  
"You're not a stranger. You are Jun."  
  
"You didn't even know my name until yesterday."  
  
"It doesn't matter. We've been seeing each other at the Ikebukuro store for months now. Even when we only talked to each other for a couple of times, we aren't strangers. We buy our groceries in the same place!"  
  
I couldn't help but to chuckle again.  
  
Aiba-chan was really amazing. He was full of life and had a positive attitude. He always smiled, lighting up the world, and his tone was cheerful and carefree. I wondered if there was anyone in his life who wasn't happy just by having him around.  
  
"You're like a ray of sunshine," I said.  
  
"Eh?" he chuckled. "No, I'm just Aiba-chan."  
  
"Isn't that enough?"  
  
"What is?" he blinked.  
  
"Being Aiba-chan."  
  
He was pensive for a little while.  
  
"I guess it is," he replied. "I'm happy being myself."  
  
I smirked and nodded.  
  
"What do you want to have?"  
  
"Ah, I don't know. The same as you"  
  
"The same as me?" I chuckled. "Don't you want to choose something else?"  
  
"No, what you have is good. It's a Chinese restaurant, so I'm used to this kind of food. I like pretty much everything they may have."  
  
"Okay, I'll order two steamed chicken with soy and leek sauce then."  
  
"Sounds great!" he exclaimed with a wide smile.  
  
I called out the waitress and ordered our food.  
  
Aiba-chan looked around. After the waitress left, he looked at me.  
  
"Coming to a place like this doesn't suit you."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know, I just think other restaurants may suit you better."  
  
"What kind of restaurants?" I raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Trendier, I guess. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you can't come to a place like this. It's just that... I don't know... Because of the clothes you wear, or the way you speak and walk, I think fashionable places may suit you better."  
  
I couldn't help but to laugh.  
  
Maybe if someone else told me something like that, it would get to me, or I'd think they were calling me frivolous, but Aiba-chan said it in such a natural and adorable way that I couldn't get mad at him. It was his innocence speaking, not his bad intention.  
  
"Well, I visit those places too. Sometimes"  
  
"I usually go to places like this one, but I never came here before."  
  
"It's amazing that it's so close to Omotesando, right?"  
  
"Ah, right! I would never imagine a place like this in this area."  
  
"It's a pity the fancy cafés around overshadow it because it's cheap, and the food is really good. It's perfect for a little break on busy days."  
  
Aiba-chan nodded eagerly.  
  
"Speaking of that," he said. "What's your job?"  
  
I stared at him in silence.  
  
I didn't want to tell him about my job because I felt the magic would be gone, but I didn't want to lie to him either. I didn't think it was fair, nor I thought it was a good way to start our relationship. Fortunately, the waitress came with our food, interrupting our conversation. When she left, I quickly took the chance to change topics.  
  
" _Itadakimasu_ ," I said, taking my chopsticks. "This is my favorite dish here."  
  
" _Itadakimasu_ ~~," he crooned, also taking his chopsticks. "Let's see"  
  
He put a piece of chicken in his mouth, chewed it for a few seconds, and then his eyes widened as he let out a sound which I interpreted as of pleasure.  
  
"This is really good!" he exclaimed when his mouth was empty. "I should ask them for the recipe to serve it in our restaurant."  
  
"I don't think they'd give it to you," I laughed. "Especially, if it's to outdo them"  
  
"Well, I won't tell them," he chuckled. "Besides, we're in Chiba, so we can't really outdo them. Maybe we could split customers."  
  
"What if you end up cooking it better, you become famous because of your steamed chicken and everybody goes to Chiba on purpose to try it?"  
  
"No way!" he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling. "Can you imagine our restaurant becoming famous and people lining up at the door? It would be a dream come true."  
  
He really was adorable.  
  
That night we talked about my family, his family, his future plans and his lifestyle. Apparently, Aiba-chan had decided to live in Chiba and take care of the family business. He said he didn't feel like moving to Tokyo because he liked his quiet lifestyle, even when the city was very handy when it came to buying his favorite _manga_. I didn't want to tell him much about me in order to avoid questions about my job, but he seemed pleased to tell me things about him instead and reply to all the questions I asked.  
  
The night flew by, and when we took a glance at the clock it was almost eleven thirty, so we decided to go home. I drove him to Chiba and we exchanged phone numbers and e-mail addresses when we got there. I made him promise we would meet again soon. He was beaming when he nodded his agreement in silence. It made me feel the urge to kiss him right there, but I knew I had to control myself. I wanted to do things well with him. I wanted to get to know him, his wants, and make him happy.  
  
After I got home that night, I felt thousands of butterflies fluttering in my stomach. It had been so long since anyone made me feel that way that I almost forgot how good it felt. I was excited like a teenager at my almost thirty years old, and a foolish smile refused to leave my face. When I looked at myself in the mirror of my bathroom, I also realized my eyes were sparkling. How could it be? My feelings were growing so fast I could hardly believe it. I was excited about meeting Aiba-chan. But I was scared too. I won't deny it. I didn't know how he saw me or how he felt about us. Still it felt like everything was so special and magical that I didn't want to think about the bad things that could happen.  
  
I just wanted to know him and go with the flow.  
  
The following week was full of flirting e-mails on both sides. I was the one who got the ball rolling and maybe the one who started the game, but he didn't seem to have any problem going along with it. His e-mails were filled with emoticons, which made them absolutely adorable, and I ended up giggling like an idiot every time I played to imagine how would the things he wrote sound if he said them in person. I would've loved to see him more often and hear those sentences from his lips instead of reading them, but it couldn't be because of my work and his responsibilities in the restaurant.  
  
As soon as I knew when my next free day would be, I called him and invited him to walk together around Hama Rikyuu. In one of his e-mails, he told me how much he liked Japanese gardens, so I thought that Hama Rikyuu was a perfect place for a date with him; the tall skyscrapers in the background would remind him he was in the middle of Tokyo as he enjoyed the quiet environment of a Japanese garden, which he loved so much. Aiba-chan adored his quiet and anonymous life in Chiba, but I knew that in the bottom of his heart, he really enjoyed the city every time he had the chance to visit it.  
  
"This place is amazing, Jun," he said, admiring the scenery.  
  
We sat down under the shadow of a tree at the most hidden part of the garden, where people hardly passed by, and I could take off the cap and mask that concealed my identity. Aiba-chan's innocence didn't cease to amaze me because he didn't find my attire strange, neither had he asked me about it.  
  
"Is this your first time here?" I asked.  
  
"Actually, it's my second time here, but this place is so beautiful that it still amazes me. The environment is peaceful, even when it's in one of the busiest areas in Tokyo. It almost makes you forget that millions of people live in this city, and they're probably rushing around right now."  
  
"I had never stopped to think about it," I looked around. "My own life is so busy that I didn't even have the time to visit this place in the last few years."  
  
"Really?" he asked surprised. "If I lived in Tokyo, I would come here as often as I could. Probably it would be one of my favorite places," he looked at me with a smile. "What's your favorite place, Jun?"  
  
When I saw his smile, my heart sped up, and a warm feeling took over me.  
  
"Right now... It's this bench..." I replied almost in a whisper, turning to him.  
  
"This bench?" he chuckled. "Don't tease me! I'm serious!"  
  
"Me too."  
  
"Why this bench?" he chuckled again.  
  
"Because I'm here with you."  
  
He blushed in the most beautiful way I'd ever seen in my life.  
  
"Do you mean it?"  
  
"Of course I do. If I didn't mean it, I wouldn't say it."  
  
"I... I like to be here as well... With you..."  
  
"Really?"  
  
He nodded, blushing even more.  
  
"I would like to come here more often. If you want to," he said.  
  
I gently placed my hand on his cheek and slowly ran my fingers down his face to his chin. I took it carefully and moved closer to him. When I was just a few centimeters away from his lips, I stared at him. He was so beautiful, so innocent, so pure. And he was right there, his eyes closed, ready for me to kiss him. I smiled to myself and finally kissed him. There was no haste. I took my time to feel him and enjoy those lips I had wanted to kiss since the very first day.  
  
"We can come here as often as you want to," I whispered.  
  
"Every day?"  
  
"Yeah, sure," I chuckled. "But then, who will take care of your restaurant?"  
  
"You're right," he giggled.  
  
He placed his arms around my neck and pulled me closer to kiss me again, this time longer and deeper than before. I put my hands on his waist, and when we finished the kiss, I gently poked his cheek with my nose, which made him giggle again.  
  
"Are you a puppy?" he said.  
  
"I am, if that's what you want me to be."  
  
"Oh, Jun, that was so sweet."  
  
"Shut up and kiss me again."  
  
I lost the count of the times we kissed that afternoon and ten days after that, when we spent a day together in Yokohama, and five days after Yokohama, when we went to the cinema in Roppongi Hills and ended up going up to the outdoors observatory at the top of Mori Tower. That day, since I didn't have to work on next day, he invited me to spend the night at his place when I drove him home, and I couldn't nor I wanted to say no.  
  
Even knowing his parents were home, we enjoyed that night as if we were completely alone, and finishing our dates at his place became a habit. There weren't any paparazzi waiting at the door there, trying to sneak into the building to take a picture of me with my new fling and sell it as the next cover of some cheap tabloid.  
  
It was only me and him.  
  
Masaki and Jun.  
  
Devoting to each other, body and soul.

My relationship with Jun was like a fairytale.  
  
Our dates were perfect, full or romantic details that only he and I understood. He showed me a lot of places in Tokyo I didn't know, and nights at my place were always amazing. Besides good sex, there was a different connection. Certainly, it was there, in those moments only the two of us, when our relationship got stronger and we felt closer to each other. We didn't only undress our bodies, but our souls too.  
  
Jun was like a prince.  
  
My prince.  
  
One of those nights when we were awake and talking until the wee hours, naked in my bed after entangling our bodies around each other, I realized we always ended up at my place. Even when he said he had an apartment in central Tokyo and our dates being in the city, for some reason we always finished our dates at my place in Chiba. Not that it bothered me. I was happy as long as I could have him by my side, but it's true that I felt the desire of knowing his apartment. I felt like if he allowed me into his home, he would be sharing his private space with me, entirely opening to me.  
  
"Jun," I said, caressing his chest. "Why do we always end up at my place?"  
  
He was silent for a few seconds.  
  
"I guess we want some privacy. Don't we?"  
  
"No, I mean why always at my place and not yours."  
  
"Ah," he absent-mindedly caressed my hair as he spoke. "I don't know. The first few times it was because we ended up staying here when I drove you home, and I guess it became a habit. I never thought about it before, to be honest. Why? Don't you like to spend the night with me?"  
  
"Of course I like it! But I don't know your home yet, and I was thinking it would be so nice to know it."  
  
"I'll take you there someday."  
  
"Why not next time?"  
  
"Next time?" he looked at me.  
  
I nodded.  
  
"Yeah, we can hang out and then go to your place."  
  
"It's just a regular apartment in Tokyo, nothing special there, really," he chuckled. "Why are you so interested in going all of a sudden?"  
  
"It's not about the apartment itself, Jun. It's because of the meaning behind showing it to me and allowing me inside. To me, it's an important step in our relationship because you would be sharing your private space with me."  
  
"I don't know it it's a good idea, Masaki. I have a lot of neighbors; someone can see us and start gossiping."  
  
"Gossiping?" I chuckled. "What are you, a movie star?"  
  
Jun looked at me with a straight face, but then smiled and shook his head.  
  
"A movie star..." he said, amusedly.  
  
"It doesn't matter if they see us."  
  
"You know how nosy people are. I don't want any trouble."  
  
"Please, Jun. Just once..."  
  
"I like coming to your place."  
  
"Just once. I swear I won't ask you anymore after that," I begged. "Let me in."  
  
Jun sighed.  
  
"What am I going to do with you?"  
  
"Is that a yes?" I asked excitedly.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Thank you, Jun!" I happily hugged him. "You can't imagine how much this means to me."  
  
"You always convince me," he said, placing his arm around my waist.  
  
I slightly moved away from him and smooched his face.  
  
"You're the best boyfriend in the world."  
  
"You only say that because I allowed you to get what you wanted," he chuckled.  
  
Even when he gave in that night, I noticed that Jun always tried to put the moment off. I didn't understand why it was so hard for him to show me his place, and sometimes I got mad because I had the feeling that something was stopping him. It was as if he didn't want to share everything with me and I couldn't help but to feel sad about it. That was why the day he finally allowed me into his apartment was one of the happiest days I remember.  
  
We'd been dating for around six months then. I saw it as a big step in our relationship, so I couldn't help but be ecstatic about it. Jun's home, even when it was an apartment, was huge and was decorated so stylishly that it looked like the home of a movie star. I couldn't stop looking around, astonished, touching things almost fearing to break them under the attentive gaze of my boyfriend, who quietly followed me around.  
  
"It's so beautiful, Jun," I said, after a while.  
  
"Do you like it? I decorated it myself."  
  
"Really?" I looked around for the umpteenth time. "You could work as a decorator."  
  
He chuckled.  
  
"Don't laugh," I chuckled with him, despite my words. "I mean it."  
  
"Thank you"  
  
"Where is your bedroom?"  
  
"Upstairs."  
  
"Is there an upstairs?!" I exclaimed.  
  
"It isn't big, but yeah, there's an upstairs. When I bought this place it was a loft with high ceilings but someone advised me to build a second floor to make the most of the space. So well, I listened to that advice and ordered to build a second floor, where I have my bedroom and a small space to read or use the computer."  
  
"Can I see it?"  
  
Jun chuckled, amused by my excitement.  
  
"As if I could say no when you're making those puppy eyes."  
  
"Sorry," I chuckled.  
  
"Come with me," he held my hand and pulled me along to the stairs to the upper floor.  
  
Jun was right, the second floor wasn't that big, but it was cozy and decorated as stylishly as the rest of the apartment, even when it didn't have any division between areas. There was a desk, a computer, a chair next to a comfortable couch, and a bed with two bedside tables in front of a large window at the back of the room.  
  
"What a huge bed!" I exclaimed.  
  
"I like to sleep comfortably."  
  
"And what an awesome window! I bet it's really romantic falling asleep everyday watching the city."  
  
"Yeah, well, you could say so," he chuckled.  
  
He placed his arms around my waist from behind me and kissed my temple.  
  
"Are you happy?" he asked, almost in a whisper.  
  
I nodded right away.  
  
"Very. You can't imagine how excited I am to be here."  
  
"You're the first person I dated and allowed to be here."  
  
"That makes it even more special..." I smiled.  
  
"You are the one who is special, Masaki," he tightened his grip around my waist. "You are the best thing that happened to me in a long time."  
  
"I can say the same," I turned around in his arms and placed my arms around his neck. "I don't know what I did in this life to deserve you, but I don't want this to end. Ever."  
  
"It won't end. At least, not on my end"  
  
I leaned in to kiss his lips as I placed one of my hands on his nape and intertwined my fingers with his hair. Jun tightened his arms around me and pulled me even closer, making the space between our bodies to disappear completely as we kissed. I was happy; happy to kiss him, my Jun, in his apartment, in his bedroom, and I felt I wanted more. I slowly ran my hands down his back to the edge of his shirt, where I allowed one of my hands to slip under the cloth, caressing his bare skin. Then I moved both of my hands to the front of his shirt and started unbuttoning it.  
  
"Masaki... We should leave now..." he whispered, caressing my face.  
  
"Why? We're fine here," I replied, opening his shirt and caressing his chest.  
  
"Yeah, but... I feel weird... I never brought anyone here before..."  
  
"But you did bring me, right?" I gently bit his lower lip. "Live the moment, Jun."  
  
I took his hands and placed them on the edge of my shirt, encouraging him to take it off me. He stared at me for a few seconds, in which I smiled and caressed his face, whispering it was okay, that he didn't have to worry. I wanted him. I wanted to have him there, in his bed, and enjoy that amazing view with him. Jun sighed in desire and kissed me, pulling my shirt to get rid of it as I smiled in the kiss and raised my arms to help him.  
  
We continued undressing each other, among kisses and caresses. When we only had our underwear on, I moved away from him to approach the bed suggestively and lie down, inviting him to join me. Jun smirked and walked closer to shut the curtains and lie down over me, kissing my lips and caressing my abdomen.  
  
"Why did you shut the curtains?" I asked in between kisses. "It was very romantic."  
  
"I don't want any nosy neighbor to see us. Your body is mine and only mine," he bit my right earlobe and whispered. "No one else is allowed to see or touch it"  
  
I couldn't help but smile at his statement and turned my head to kiss him with desire.  
  
It was a special night.  
  
I don't know if it was the excitement of being in his apartment or because it was the first time he took someone there, but both of us were especially passionate. More than ever, I felt Jun was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, and so I tried to convey it to him in every kiss, every caress, and every whispered word. Our relationship was perfect, simply because both of us were very human and full of flaws, and I didn't want that to ever change.  
  
Ever.  
  
Three days after that, we arranged to meet at our store in Ikebukuro. My mom needed a few things for the restaurant and Jun wanted to buy spices to treat me to an Indian style dinner at his place, so we exchanged some e-mails the previous day before going to bed, and arranged to meet there at ten o'clock in the morning. I knew it would only be a brief encounter since I had to go back to the restaurant and he had to work, but I was glad I could see him even if it was just for a few minutes.  
  
I put my shoes on at the entrance and said goodbye to my mother with a smile, ready to leave for the train station, but several camera flashes blinded me when I opened the door, and a bunch of strangers, holding microphones and television cameras, suddenly surrounded me.  
  
"Aiba-san, how are you doing this morning?"  
  
"For 'Good morning, Japan', what can you tell us about your relationship with MatsuJun?"  
  
"Can you tell us how Matsumoto is in private?"  
  
"Excuse me, Aiba-san, I would like to formally invite you to 'Afternoons with Star' on Arashi Television. We would love to hear your story."  
  
I hurried back inside my home and closed the door.  
  
What the heck was going on? Why were all those people at my door, taking pictures and asking me about Jun? I took my shoes off and entered the living room, where my brother was organizing the restaurant bills.  
  
"I thought you went to do the shopping," he said.  
  
"Yusuke, there's a bunch of people at the door."  
  
"At the door?" he stood up and peeked out the window. His eyes widened. "You're right, there's a bunch of people holding cameras and microphones. Why are they here?"  
  
"I don't know. I went out and they asked me about Jun."  
  
My brother blinked.  
  
"About Jun? The same Jun who is with you day and night, lately?"  
  
I nodded.  
  
"They asked me about my relationship with him and invited me to some TV show in the afternoon, on some channel I don't remember."  
  
"'Afternoons with Star'?"  
  
"Yeah, that one! Have you ever watched it?"  
  
My brother's eyes widened even more.  
  
"No, but my friend says it's a popular TV show in which they invite people related to famous people to talk about their relationships with them. Did you get involved with anyone famous, Masaki?"  
  
"No! I... not..."  
  
My brother turned the TV on and switched channels until he found one of those morning shows in which they talk about all kind of news, including the ones involving famous people. The announcer was holding a magazine, which cover was a bad quality picture of me in my underwear, and she was talking about the scandal it was that the guy on the picture had been photographed inside the apartment of the actor and model Matsumoto Jun a few days ago.  
  
Actor and model.  
  
Matsumoto Jun.  
  
Cover.  
  
Scandal.  
  
I took my phone out of my pocket right away and called Jun.  
  


 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
  
I knew taking him to my apartment was a mistake.  
  
My manager woke me up at six thirty in the morning, tirelessly ringing my bell. When I opened the door, half asleep and ready to complain about waking me up so early when I didn't have to work until later in the morning, I didn't have the time to open my mouth because he immediately showed me the cover for the last issue of Wednesday, one the most popular tabloids.  
  
_Is MatsuJun gay?_  
  
I pulled the magazine out of his hands and stared at those _kanji_ , printed over a picture of Masaki walking in his underwear in front of the large window in my bedroom. How did they get it? I lived in a loft and we were on the second floor. Where the heck had they sneaked in to get that picture? The curtains in my bedroom were open for hardly a few seconds. I shut them the moment we lay down. It was impossible they had the time to take a picture of him.  
  
"Put on your clothes, now," said my manager.  
  
"Wait, I need to call Masaki."  
  
I tried to go up to my bedroom and take my phone from my bedside table, but my manager held my wrist, making me stop and turn around, and stared at me with the most serious expression I had ever seen on his face.  
  
"Get dressed. Right now," he let go of me and took his phone out of his pocket. "A car is waiting by the door. We need to reach the agency and see how we fix this mess."  
  
"By the door? It may be full of journalists!"  
  
"That's exactly why it's there. We have to pretend nothing's going on. People at the agency will give us instructions about what to do and what to say. Until then, don't reply to anything they ask, just smile and say you're in a rush."  
  
"Okay, but what about Masaki? By now, there may be journalists at his door as well and he's not used to this. He doesn't even know he's dating a famous person."  
  
"Now it's not the time to worry about him."  
  
"He's my partner," I frowned. "Of course it's the time to worry about him!"  
  
"You don't get it, right? You're about to ruin your career. Every second you waste is essential to fix this mess as soon as possible," he looked at me. "They took a picture of a man wearing only his underwear inside your apartment. Do you know the scandal it is?"  
  
"I didn't think they would take pictures here. I live in a loft! How the hell did they reach my damn window? I shut the curtains."  
  
"You're so irresponsible. You shouldn't bring people here."  
  
I clicked my tongue and hissed.  
  
Even when I wanted to complain, I couldn't because I knew he was right. I shouldn't bring anyone to my apartment, especially Masaki. I should've told him I'm a famous person and something like that would happen sooner or later. He didn't deserve being on the cover of a cheap tabloid. He was too pure to be followed by that bunch of vultures, looking for a juicy picture to feed on. And now his almost naked body was exposed in all the bookstores around Tokyo.  
  
While I took a shower and put on clean clothes, I couldn't calm down. I didn't care about what happened to me, but if something happened to him, I would never be able to forgive myself. Masaki always said he hated celebrity shows and magazines. They didn't even watch TV in his home, that's why he didn't know who I was, and now the whole country knew him because of me. Not only his face but his body too. Masaki's body.  
  
My Masaki.  
  
When I left the building together with my manager and two bodyguards who were waiting by my door, I did what he told me to do. I didn't reply to anything the journalists asked me and got rid of them saying I was in a hurry, but I couldn't smile or thank them for coming. They just wrecked my life. Most likely, Masaki wouldn't want to see me again after that. I had nothing to thank that bunch of fouls for. What's more, I would've loved to kick their damn cameras. But I couldn't do that. I had to control myself, have patience and wait. I already knew how it all worked and, sooner or later, everything would go back to the way it was.  
  
"You're screwing things up by making that face."  
  
My manager was sitting next to me on the backside of the car, looking out of the window while he nervously played with his phone on his left hand.  
  
"What face did you expect me to make?" I protested.  
  
"Did you forget how to smile?"  
  
"Right now, yes. I did."  
  
"You should start remembering then, unless you want to lose your job."  
  
I raised an eyebrow.  
  
"What's wrong with you?"  
  
"I'm tired of hiding your flings. The guy on the picture isn't a famous person, he's not used to journalists and how they work. If he says something inappropriate, we're doomed."  
  
"Masaki is not a fling."  
  
"Ah, no?" he turned to me. "Don't tell me you're allowing an anonymous person to trick you. The only thing they want is some fame won in the quick way; talking about you on TV shows."  
  
"Don't talk about him like that! You don't know him at all! He hates this world. Most likely, this is going to be a shock for him when he finds out, and I don't think he wants to see me again, so rest assured."  
  
"That's the best for everyone."  
  
"What?" I frowned.  
  
"Right now, it won't be good if journalists see you together because they wouldn't believe anything we say to deny the rumors. Also if he really hates this world, he'll be happier without you"  
  
I wanted to say he wasn't the one to decide what made Masaki happy, but I realized he was right once again. I'd been really selfish for not telling Masaki that I was a famous person, and now it was too late. I didn't have the chance to tell him and let him choose if he still wanted to be with me, as I should've done since the very beginning. His face and his body were exposed to public opinion now, and I knew it was my fault.  
  
I spent the rest of the way to the company in silence because the atmosphere was very tense in the car, and I had my head somewhere else. I only wanted to reach the building, finish that meeting with the president and call Masaki to check if he was fine. We arranged to meet that morning at our store in Ikebukuro, but that magazine cover changed everything. Probably we would have to stop meeting at least for several weeks, until things calmed down, and not even those brief encounters would be possible anymore.  
  
When we reached the agency, the president was already waiting for us in his office. The meeting went on for around two hours, and we mainly focused on the details of the official story we would tell at the press conference, which had been called that morning under the excuse of promoting my new movie. We knew they would hardly ask anything about the movie, since all the attention was on that scandalous cover at the moment, but it was a perfect chance to give a brief explanation and cut off the rest of questions, reminding the point of that press conference was my movie.  
  
After the meeting was over and we were on our way to the car that would drive us to the press conference, I felt my cellphone vibrating inside my pocket. I took it out in order to turn it off, but I saw Masaki's _kanji_ glowing on the screen and my heart jumped inside my chest. Seeing the expression on my face, my manager realized what was going on and tried to grab my phone, but I quickly answered and moved away from him, walking back inside the agency building.  
  
"Masaki!" I said the moment I answered, looking around for a private place.  
  
"Jun... There's a bunch of people at my door asking about you, and I heard on TV you're a model and actor... What's going on?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I know I should've told you," I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "Everything they're saying is true. I'm an actor and model. I'm sorry... I'm really sorry I didn't tell you before..."  
  
I found out one of the company's meeting rooms was empty, so I walked inside and locked the door, so that no one could come in.  
  
The press conference could wait.  
  
"My picture is on a tabloid's cover," he said.  
  
"I know, and I'm sorry. I knew that taking you to my apartment wasn't a good idea."  
  
"But your apartment is a loft and you shut the curtains. How can it be?"  
  
"I don't know. I don't understand it either. They're scum..."  
  
I clenched my fists in anger.  
  
"Then it's true? You're famous?" he asked.  
  
I closed my eyes and sighed.  
  
"Yes. I'm an actor."  
  
"Wow! I've been dating an actor? I can't believe it."  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
"Don't worry about it, Jun. I would've liked to know it before appearing on the cover of a tabloid, but nothing changes between us."  
  
"You're fine?"  
  
"I think so, though I won't be able to go to Toda-san's store today. People at my door don't allow me to go out. I'm sorry."  
  
And he was the one apologizing to me instead.  
  
"I can't go either," I said with a bitter smile.  
  
"Ah, of course..."  
  
"I can't talk long, I have to attend a press conference, but everything's going to be alright. I promise, Masaki. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."  
  
"I'm fine, Jun," I couldn't see him but I knew he was smiling.  
  
"I won't allow them to play with you. You're so... innocent... and pure... and this world is full of vultures. Don't accept any offer, okay? And ignore all the questions they ask you about me. Try to act as indifferent as possible. I'll make them leave you alone as soon as possible, so that you can go back to your quiet life."  
  
"Don't worry about me, really. I don't want to be a bother," he said. "I don't have any idea about how this world works, but I know actors are busy people. I think I can cope this."  
  
"They exposed your body to everyone's eyes on their cheap magazine. I swear I will make them pay for using what I love the most"  
  
"I am... what you love the most?"  
  
I cleared my throat.  
  
"I won't be able to meet you for a while, Masaki. It's for your own sake; if they don't take more pictures of us together, they will leave you alone. For a few weeks, journalists are going to follow me like crazy and probably they will follow you, as well."  
  
"I understand."  
  
Someone knocked the door at that moment.  
  
"Jun! We have to leave now!" my manager's voice came from the other side.  
  
I sighed.  
  
"I have to leave now," I told Masaki. "I'll call you tonight."  
  
"Okay," he was silent for a few seconds. "Take care, Jun. Please."  
  
"I'm used to this."  
  
"Yeah, but I'm not, and I don't want you to get in trouble."  
  
I couldn't help smiling.  
  
"I won't do anything that may hurt you, I promise. I already messed things up enough."  
  
"If you happen to pass by Toda-san's store, say hi for me."  
  
"Of course, I will," I laughed.  
  
" _Bai bai_ ~"  
  
"Ja~"  
  
When I hung up, I sighed again, but I felt I was stronger than ever.  
  
I opened the door to find my manager beside himself, his face red in anger, yelling at me because we were late, and asking me how I dared to talk on the phone when all those journalists were waiting for us. He also said we couldn't make more mistakes after that cover was published, but I just smiled and told him not to worry. I was ready to face anything that got on my way.  
  
Masaki gave me strength to answer to the journalists and the Interpol, if needed.  
  


 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
  
I didn't meet Jun in several weeks.  
  
Those people stood guard at my door for almost the whole first week, trying to get information from any member of my family. We tried to ignore them and do our regular lives, but it was frustrating sometimes. Somehow, all of us felt like our privacy had completely disappeared. My father was especially mad and at times he was about to open the door to tell them off, but my mother always managed to make him see he would only make things worse. I knew my mother was going through a hard time as well, but she kept it to herself.  
  
On the second week, things began to calm down, and the number of people at my door noticeably decreased, which I really appreciated because I didn't want my family to keep suffering from that hounding, but paparazzi still followed me around. Sometimes they shamelessly jumped on me with their cameras and microphones when I walked out the supermarket, some other times they secretly followed me, trying to take a juicy picture they could sell. Of course, they didn't get anything.  
  
Jun and I called or e-mailed each other every so often, but we never met up. He even stopped visiting Toda-san's store because he knew I couldn't stop buying there, since I needed all those groceries for our restaurant, and apparently even when we didn't go there together, just the fact that both of us often visited the same store could raise suspicions. He said tabloid press works like that. They like to write juicy headlines, it doesn't matter if they are true or not.  
  
I still didn't watch TV or buy any magazine, but my brother had started watching every talk show out there. Sometimes he came to my bedroom to tell me about some new rumor about Jun and me, but I always said I didn't want to know anything because Jun was taking care of everything, so I felt at ease. I still trusted him blindly, even when our relationship was cooling down due to distance. After almost two months, we didn't call each other that often anymore, and our e-mails were practically non-existent.  
  
I had a lot of time to think during all those weeks, and now that my life was going back to normal, I wasn't sure if I wanted to take any risk anymore. It's true I felt comfortable with Jun, I loved him a lot, and the memories I made with him would always have a special place in my heart, but maybe our time together was already over and it was time to end our relationship. We belonged to different worlds. Jun was born to be a star, anyone could realize just by taking a quick look at him, while I wasn't born to be in the public eye. I felt comfortable being an anonymous face, being able to go wherever I pleased whenever I wanted. It was true I missed Jun, but it was also true I had missed my quiet life when my picture was published.  
  
Almost four months after the scandal, Jun called me, asking if he could come over tomorrow night after he finished work. I guess he was sure the chase was finally over. However, I wasn't sure about that encounter. If journalists followed him, and a new scandal came up, I had the feeling that my family would need to move out in order to be left alone, but at the same time I knew we had to talk. We hadn't talked about our relationship since the day that tabloid was out. I didn't tell him how I felt, nor did I know how he felt. Maybe it was the time for us to have a conversation.  
  
My parents closed the restaurant that night and had dinner at my grandparents', together with my brother. I told them they didn't have to do that since it was their home, but my mom insisted I needed to have a serious conversation with Jun, and it wouldn't be comfortable if they were around. I thought she would ask me to stop seeing him, but she told me to follow my heart instead.  
  
When Jun arrived that night, my heart raced up at a dizzy speed. Seeing him there, in front of me once again, I didn't understand how I almost forgot how handsome he was. I looked at him and felt that nothing else mattered because he was there. I could finally see him again after months.  
  
"Hi..." he said with a smile.  
  
The sparkle in his eyes told me he was glad to see me too.  
  
"Come in," I said, leading him upstairs to my bedroom.  
  
"I'm sorry to come this late. Maybe you're family is already sleeping."  
  
"They're at my grandparents'. Did I ever tell you my grandma makes the best xiao long bao in the world?"  
  
"Even better than your father's?"  
  
"Yeah, even better than my father's," I chuckled.  
  
"What are we doing here then? Why aren't we there?"  
  
"Oh! Do you want to go? I can call her right now."  
  
"I was only joking," he chuckled.  
  
"Oh, okay," I felt like an idiot. "Sorry"  
  
Jun approached me and handed me an envelope.  
  
"Here. This is for you."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
I opened it and frowned when I saw a big amount of money inside.  
  
"I told you I'd make them pay for what they did," he said.  
  
"But... I... I can't..."  
  
"It's yours. Give it to your parents, to make up for the customers they lost."  
  
"How did you get it?"  
  
"I sued them," he stared at me with a serious expression. "You're not a public person. They don't have any right to publish a picture of you, almost naked, on their cheap magazine."  
  
I was silent for a while.  
  
"Are you still... having problems with that...?"  
  
"No, I told them you are a good friend who spent the night at my place. Some of them didn't buy it, but since I wasn't on the picture, they couldn't prove anything. They followed me for several weeks, but because we didn't meet in all this time, they gave up in the end."  
  
"They followed me for a few weeks, as well. But I hadn't seen them in a long time now."  
  
"Most likely, they got tired of following you around after seeing they couldn't take a picture of us together."  
  
I nodded.  
  
"I guess you were right and not seeing you was the best option."  
  
Jun sighed and looked away, clicking his tongue.  
  
"Damn it..." he whispered.  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"I came here with the idea of breaking up with you, but it's impossible. Why do you have to be this adorable?"  
  
"I'm sorry," I lowered my head.  
  
He took my chin to make me look up.  
  
"Tell me that you feel like me," he said, fixing his dark eyes on me. "Tell me that you missed me."  
  
His eyes were sparkling again, as they had done minutes earlier at my door.  
  
I stared at him in silence but couldn't hold back anymore.  
  
"Yes... Yes, Jun... I missed you... I wanted to break up with you, as well. Even when I missed you, I thought I had missed my life more, but now I realize that I was wrong. Now I realize that time stopped that day. I missed you to the point in which I stopped controlling my feelings the moment I saw you, and I don't care about the problems we may find in the future if you tell me you'll stay with me."  
  
Jun didn't say anything.  
  
He placed his hand on my nape and pulled me closer to kiss me passionately; making me understand without words that he felt the same. We had missed each other so much that anything else didn't matter and now that we were in front of each other, we realized that nothing had changed.  
  
Jun's hands moved quickly, undressing me in desperation and caressing me with desire. I did the same, and soon we were lying on my bed, naked, skin against skin, feeling each other after so many months. And I forgot I had promised myself to be strong and forget about him. I loved him. I really loved him. It didn't matter if I tried to fight against my feelings or if I tried to convince myself that I preferred my quiet life over a life with Jun. I couldn't trick myself anymore.  
  
Jun was my life.


End file.
